Ice and steel
by Sylver-sky
Summary: Seto Kaiba is known for being cold, but is he heartless? Buttons are pushed and boundaries are tested. Will the cold CEO 's heart be melted, or will the ice freeze everything it touches?
1. Chapter 1

Lightning flashed overhead, illuminating the empty streets for a split second. The booming thunder drown out all sounds for a moment. The rain soaked any poor soul who happened to be out, while the wind roared. This was considered one of the worst storms ever to hit Domino City. Half of the city was left in the dark as a result of the downed power lines. The streets were now a raging river, and all homeless shelters were full beyond their capacity.

The rain had started early that morning and was now going late into the night, with no sign of letting up. One lone figure could be seen walking through the streets, his car having broke down a few blocks away. His coat did nothing to keep him dry. He walked briskly in a hurry to get home. He looked ahead as another flash of lightning lit up the sky. He could see a figure outside one of the stores, sitting hunched over.

The man's pace quickened slightly. As he approached the figure, the head rose. The man stopped next to the figure. As the lightning flashed once more, ice met steel as their eyes locked. Even if he yelled, the man could not be heard over the storm. He hesitated for a moment before holding his hand out. The figure didn't hesitate to take the hand. The man pulled the person to their feet and motioned too follow him. They made their way quickly through the storm.

The man opened a large gate that led up to his residence. The figure following close behind. He gracefully unlocked and opened the door in one fluid motion. The two stepped into the brightly lit home and the man closed the door. Now indoors, it was much easier to be heard when speaking.

The man said nothing but took off his coat and shoes, ignoring the figure behind him. It was difficult to tell if it was male our female, for the figure was heavily covered with heavy, worn coats. There were rags around the face, probably to keep warm, and a fisherman's hat on top of the head. The hands were covered with several pairs of gloves, all with holes in them. The pants were immensely baggy, suggesting the figure underneath was very thin. The feet were bare and noticeably dirty, although the rushing water had washed away the mud from them. The size of the feet revealed the figure to most likely be a woman.

"Thank you very much," came a young woman's voice, as she pulled the wet rags from her face. "Don't mention it," the man replied, "to anyone. I mean it". The woman took off the hat to reveal her face. "Of course not," she said, smiling, "we wouldn't want people knowing you have a heart, now would we, Mister Kaiba?"

**Well, there's the beginning. I don't really have a name for the woman yet, so, as with my other story, I will let my readers pick a name. Hope you will like this story as much as my readers like my other one!**


	2. The First Night

**I don't want to wait for more suggestions, so I'm continuing the story while I still have the urge to create. Hope you guys like it!**

Seto ignored the comment as he grabbed his briefcase and headed upstairs to his bedroom. "Shall I just make myself at home then?" the woman called up to him. He made no response, but just shut the door to his room. "Ever the asshole," she muttered under her breath. Rather than waiting for further permission, the woman removed her coats and gloves, leaving them by the door.

She wandered into the living room; there had to be someone else around. She was sure he had servants or maids that took care of the house. She searched to no avail. Finally, she went upstairs to where she believed Seto had disappeared to. She knocked twice before entering the room, not waiting for a reply. Seto was standing there in nothing but a pair of sweatpants, drying his hair.

"What do you want?" he asked, irritated. "Oh, I'm glad you asked. First, I'd like a hot shower, then perhaps a hot meal. Some clean, dry clothes would be nice, and a bed to sleep in, if you have one to spare, which I'm sure you do," she replied, smiling the whole time. She seemed unaware of who exactly she was talking to.

Seto stomped out of the room, throwing his towel down as he did so. The woman followed him out. Seto walked just down the hall to the room next to his. He opened the door, revealing quite a large guest room. "There's a bathroom right through that door, and some spare clothes in the drawers," he said quickly. "Will they fit me?" she asked bluntly. Seto turned to look at her. Without the coats, she looked very thin, fragile even.

"I'll see if we have any smaller clothes," he said quietly. They heard a door close down the hall, and Mokuba walked in. "Seto, where have you been? The storm is so bad, I thought..." Mokuba stopped short, noticing the homely looking woman. "Oh, hi. I'm the homeless bum your brother picked off the street," she said nonchalantly. She held her hand out to him. Mokuba hesitantly took her hand and shook it. "I'm Mokuba, Seto's little brother," he said kindly. "What a charming young man. Not at all like your brother. My name is Kari," she said, smiling.

"I'll send a message to the cook to make you something to eat," Seto said abruptly, leaving the room. Kari smiled and turned to Mokuba. "If you'll excuse me, I desperately need a shower," she said. Mokuba nodded and left the room. Kari closed the door behind him and sighed. She quickly went to the bathroom and turned the shower on. It has been so long since she was able to properly clean herself. She undressed and stepped under the hot, running water.

"Did you really pick her up off the streets?" Mokuba asked, following Seto into his room. "Yes," he replied. "But why?" Mokuba questioned. "Because she would have died if I hadn't," Seto stated, as if it were obvious. "Since when do you care?" Mokuba asked bitterly. He loved his brother, but Seto had never shown himself to be compassionate. Seto turned to his brother. "If you'd like, I can throw her back out," Seto growled. Mokuba just smiled. "No, I like her," he said simply.

Kari wrapped herself in a towel as she stepped out of the shower. Seto had found a pair of pajamas that would fit her. Well, enough that they wouldn't fall of her. The pajama bottoms had a drawstring to tighten them, but the top looked about the sizes to big for her. She shrugged as she put them on. It was nice to be warm and clean for once. She brushed her hair out and looked around for a hair tie of some kind. Not able to find one, she decided to just let her hair down.

She could hear voices as she headed down the stairs. Seto was talking on the phone, probably something to do with work. He hung up and turned around as he heard her footsteps. He was amazed by what he saw. The clothes hung lose on her frame, making her appear even thinner than she was. Aside from being to thin, she was rather attractive. Her hair was very dark, hard to tell the exact color when it was wet though. Her skin had seemed rough and weathered, but her skin was now smooth and very fair.

She walked right past him, as if she hadn't even seen him. She went straight to the dining room, where hot soup and sandwiches lay waiting. She ate as quickly as she could, without looking like she was shoving it down her throat. "You might want to slow down our you'll make yourself sick," Seto warned her. She paused and wiped her mouth. "Speaking of sick, you sound a little hoarse. Do you have a sore throat?" she asked.

"It's nothing," he replied, as he turned to go back to his room. "Aren't you going to eat?" she asked. "I already did," he grunted, leaving her in the room by herself. Kari finished her meal and went back to the guest room. There was a toothbrush and toothpaste left on the bed for her. Kari smiled as she went to brush her teeth. Oral hygiene was something people often took for granted. She lay down on the soft bed and quickly feel asleep. She knew Seto would probably throw her out once the storm passed, but right now, she was warm, full, and comfortable.

**Alright, that's all for now. I know it's slow going, but good stories take time to develop. Thank you to the one who gave me the idea for her name, even though you were too lazy to log in. Oh, and don't get used to updates happening so quickly. This was just a fluke. I have a very busy life and it doesn't happen often.**


	3. The Morning After

**So here's a decent chapter for you guys. I almost just deleted the story because I didn't feel like writing two stories at once, but then I saw thelonliestpineapple had favorited it. So this chapter is just for you!**

Kari woke up feeling as though she had slept on a cloud. She sat up, looking around. The events of the night before came flooding back. She looked out the window, the sun not quite breaking the horizon. Although it was near daybreak, the sky was still dark. The storm was still in full swing, though the wind had died down. Kari jumped out of bed and headed downstairs. The lights were on, indicating that the workaholic that had brought her out of the rain the night before was already up.

Seto turned around as Kari bounded down the stairs. Her steel grey eyes contrasted against her deep red hair, which now fell in soft waves around her face and down to her waist. Breakfast had already been prepared; French toast, pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, sausage, and oatmeal. It had all been set out like a buffet.

"Wow, that's a lot of food," Kari said, grabbing a plate. She quickly piled on as much food as she could fit, adding a bowl of oatmeal on the side.

"If I didn't know better, I would say you were hungry," Seto said.

"Well, if you were used to eating once a week, you'd take advantage of free food too," Kari smiled. Seto drank his coffee, wincing as the hot liquid hit the back of his throat.

"You should be drinking orange juice, not coffee," Kari suggested, watching him.

"I'll drink whatever the hell I want," Seto spat.

"You're getting sick. Orange juice will help your immune system," she advised.

"I don't..." Seto began, before having a coughing fit, "get sick," he finished. Kari gave him a knowing, smug look. She got up and poured him a glass herself. He gave her a scathing look before downing the glass and going back to his coffee. He watched as she wolfed down her food. She finished her plate and her oatmeal in less than ten minutes, going back to refill her plate.

"If you keep eating like that, you're going to get sick," he said, smiling behind his coffee cup. Kari giggled as she sat back down.

"Oh goodness, mister Kaiba. You're not heartless, AND you have a sense of humor? What would the tabloids say?" she joked, digging into her second plate. Seto paused before taking another sip of his coffee. He was getting too comfortable around this homeless woman. He needed to keep his guard up.

"As soon as the storm ends, I'll have my driver take you to the nearest shelter," he declared.

"Of course, mister Kaiba. Thank you for your hospitality," she said politely, finishing her second plate. She heard running from above her. She turned to see Mokuba rushing into the room.

"Seto, the storm is still pretty bad. Are you going to stay home from work?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with hope. Seto sighed, putting his coffee down.

"Yes, I'll be working from home today," he answered. Mokuba's face fell. He had been hoping his brother would put work aside for one day to spend with him.

"Oh, okay. Can I have some friends over?" he asked quietly. Seto resisted the urge to refuse his request.

"Just a few. I do need to get work done today," he said. He stood and left as Mokuba rushed to the phone and quickly dialed a number. His face fell again as there was no answer. He hung up and tried another number.

"Yugi? I tried calling Joey, but he didn't answer. Is he with you?" he asked. His face fell a third time. "Oh, okay, thank you anyway," he said, hanging up again.

"Try calling Ryou," Kari said behind him. Mokuba spun around and looked at her in surprise, but dialed the number anyway. He waited a few moments before Ryou answered.

"Ryou, is Joey there? … He is? Did you guys want to come over and spend time with me?" Mokuba asked excitedly. His face fell again. "Oh, you're going out? Where are you going? … Your friend?" Kari stood and walked over to him, motioning for the phone. Mokuba looked confused, but handed it over anyway.

"I know you're not looking for me," she said into the phone. Mokuba could hear Ryou's voice filled with relief. "Okay, see you in a few," she said, hanging up the phone, "they'll be here in a few minutes," she said to Mokuba.

"How do you know Joey and Ryou? And how did you know Joey would be there?" Mokuba asked.

"Joey and Ryou both work at the same diner. The diner is close to Ryou's apartment, so I figured if Joey wasn't at his place, he got caught in the storm and crashed at Ryou's," she explained.

"But how do you know them?" Mokuba asked again.

"Oh, Ryou caught me sleeping in the alley behind the diner. He insisted on feeding me, and we've been friends ever since," she smiled.

"You were sleeping in the alley?" Mokuba asked sadly.

"I did tell you I was homeless, Mokuba. I sleep where I can. I eat what I can find. It isn't exactly a glamorous lifestyle. I just focus on trying to stay alive," she explained. It was a concept she didn't expect him to understand. She knew about the Kaiba brothers. They were orphans, lived in the orphanage, and then were adopted by Gozaburo Kaiba. They were never left to the cruel ways of living on the streets. She was an orphan as well, but she didn't go to an orphanage. She didn't get adopted. She grew up homeless, on the streets. She wasn't bitter about it, though.

"Are you going to stay with us?" Mokuba asked suddenly.

"As soon as it stops raining, I'll go to a homeless shelter," she said.

"That's not fair. You shouldn't have to live like that. Can't you get a job, or stay with Ryou or Joey?" he said. She was nice, she seemed smart. He didn't want her to have to live in such a horrible way. She smiled sweetly.

"You're a good kid, Mokuba. I'm sure Ryou would take me in. He's tried to before, but I don't like using others, and I don't like others worrying about me. No one will hire a dirty street mouse like me, but I'll be okay. Don't worry about anything," she said, ruffling his hair.

"But you let Seto take you in. Why can't you just stay with us? We have plenty of room," he protested.

"Well, it was that, or freeze to death in the storm. Besides, your brother doesn't worry about me like the rest of you. He brought me in to keep me from dying, and when it's safe enough, I'll be back out on the streets. I'm a free spirit, I don't like being tied down," she said.

Mokuba started pouting. He was sure he could talk Seto into letting her stay longer, but it wouldn't matter if she had her mind made up on leaving. There was a soft knock at the door. Kari got up to answer it herself.

"You should get something to eat, while it's still warm," she said, walking out of the room. Ryou glomped her the second she opened the door.

"Thank god you're okay! I was so worried. Joey showed up after his shift last night, but I had no idea where you were. You could have died in that storm," Ryou rambled, holding onto her.

"Or I could die from you suffocating me. Hey, at least I'll feel loved, right?" she joked, prying him off of her.

"I told him you'd be fine," Joey said, smiling. Kari closed the door behind them. The rain was still coming down steadily, and they were both soaked, as well as the front of her clothes now. Joey looked around, taking in the sheer size of the Kaiba mansion.

"I'd say more than fine," he added, spotting the food in the kitchen, "hey, nothin's better than free food". He rushed over, loading a plate. He and Ryou had left the apartment before eating. Kari smiled at the blond bundle of energy.

"You look great. Almost healthy, even," Ryou said, holding her hands out to the side. Kari smiled, turning as a model would.

"Healthy? But how will I ever be a supermodel then?" she said with a fake British accent. Ryou gave her a sad smile.

"I wish you would just let me take care of you. If you just ate regularly, you would be so much healthier," he said. Her smile suddenly fell.

"Not this again, Ryou. You are a waiter at a café; you can't afford to take care of yourself, Bakura, _and _me. I will be fine. It's not like I'm anorexic, I eat whenever I can. Besides, I just ate enough this morning to last me all month. Why don't you have something to eat?" she motioned towards the kitchen where Joey and Mokuba were already having an eating contest. Ryou sighed and made his way to the food. He knew there was no point in arguing, she would never listen to him.

Seto made his way down the stair to refill his coffee. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and locked eyes with Joey. Of course his brother would invite that street dog.

"You have a soft spot for strays, don't you Mokuba?" he said, walking right past Joey. Joey growled and opened his mouth to retaliate, but Kari was quicker with her words.

"Oh, but it was you who brought me here, mister Kaiba," she said sweetly, smiling. Seto filled his coffee cup quietly. He had forgotten that Kari was in the room.

"Or is it okay because I'm cuter?" she smirked.

"Hey," Joey protested.

"Anything is cuter than a wet, pathetic mutt," Seto said, heading back upstairs to his work.

"You bastard, get yer ass back here an' say that to my face," Joey yelled, fuming. Kari rolled her eyes. There was no point in telling Joey to calm down, he _was _as belligerent as a dog. She tried to hide her sudden yawn without putting her hand over her mouth. She wasn't used to eating so much food; she needed a nap.

"You need to get some more rest," Ryou said. 'Of course he wouldn't miss it' she thought to herself.

"Fine, you guys keep Mokuba busy," she said, heading upstairs. She stopped at the top of the stairs, looking down the hallway at the row of doors. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't remember which one she had come out of earlier. She shrugged as she took her best guess. She walked right into the room. Seto looked up from his laptop to see who had rudely interrupted his work.

"Do you have the wrong room?" he asked sarcastically. Kari merely smirked and shook her head, walking in and plopping herself down on his bed.

"No, I think I'll just sleep in here," she said. She was just joking with him, of course, but as soon as her head hit the pillow, she struggled to stay awake. Seto watched her in disbelief, before scowling.

"Out," he demanded. She was already almost asleep and merely whimpered in reply.

"Kari, get out," he said more sternly. She sighed, fast asleep. Seto sighed, standing and closing the door. He didn't want to be bothered by anyone else. He pulled the blankets over her to keep her warm. He decided he would allow her to sleep in his bed for now, but if she started snoring, he didn't care how tired she was, she would be thrown out of the room.

**There you go. Hopefully I'll continue to have inspiration for writing. Leave me reviews if you like it and let me know that you want more!**


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